Eddie Hearn believes Conor Benn's meeting with Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday night could still take place even after the British Boxing Board of Control cancelled the bout.
Benn tested positive for a trace substance of the drug clomifene; a female fertility medication that is known to increase testosterone in men, during a VADA test. But he has passed the required UKAD testing put in place by the board, including ones that took place more recently than the positive test.
And Hearn still holds out hope that the pay-per-view event, which was set to draw massive numbers on Saturday night for broadcaster DAZN, will go ahead. Matchroom Boxing lawyers are in talks with the board now, in hopes of finding a resolution in time for the weekend.
"It's with the lawyers going backwards and forwards right now," he told Matchroom Boxing's official channels ahead of The O2 arena showdown. "The guys signed up to a multitude of testing for this fight, the UKAD testing, which is the testing agency that the BBBoC use and are governed by have all been clear and negative.
"There was an adverse finding on a VADA test but there has not been an official doping violation. There is a process to go through; Conor Benn has not been suspended by the BBBoC because he has passed all the tests from UKAD but clearly they will take a position on it.
"Both camps were aware of the situation and are prepared to go ahead but conversations have to be had with the lawyers and the team and the BBBoC."
Eubank Jr and Benn even held private talks in order to make the fight happen, despite their families' decades-long rivalry. They have both taken legal and medical advice, and according to Eubank Jr's promoter Kalle Sauerland of Wasserman Boxing, both men still want to compete.
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“We spoke to Benn directly," Sauerland told talkSPORT this afternoon before the board's ruling was made public. "There was a direct discussion between the two, but I’m not privileged to that discussion, I wasn’t part of that discussion. We have to focus on the show on Saturday and we can’t be distracted by anything.
“The summary of what we’ve received is that there was this trace finding, but the key for me here is the UKAD findings and the medical advice, which is probably the most important thing here, because we’re talking about a physical combat sport, so that for me is the be all and end all.
"The first thing you think when you hear ‘positive doping test’ is that the fight’s off, then you have to look into what it is… It’s very clear there’s been a big mistake here from the other side, but ultimately has it been done as a PED? No. That’s what the medical opinions are."
